Coronavirus Travel Insurance Benefits

Looking for travel insurance benefits that cover costs related to COVID-19? From 9 December 2020 onwards, if you buy a new policy on our international, inbound and domestic plans you’ll receive cover for a number of COVID-19 travel insurance benefits.

So, whenever you’re able to escape the everyday and explore the natural beauty of Australia or an overseas destination smartraveller marks as safe during the current coronavirus pandemic, our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits can help give you peace of mind and extra confidence to book the trip you’ve been longing to take.

Our Best COVID-19 Travel Insurance Benefits

From 9 December 2020, new policyholders will now receive the below extended travel insurance cover for common scenarios relating to COVID-19:

Cover for COVID-19 Overseas Medical Costs*#~

When travel restrictions are eased, our international and inbound plans provide cover for medical treatment expenses incurred overseas if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner while on your journey*.

Cover for COVID-19 Cancellations*

Our domestic and international plans provide cover for a number of unforeseeable amendment and cancellation costs relating to COVID-19 if you have added our cancellation cover to your policy.

Cover for Additional COVID-19 Expenses*#

Our domestic and international plans provide cover for a variety of additional costs should you find your trip plans are cut short or need to change as a result of various COVID-19-related reasons.

Our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits also provide cover for unexpected travel delays and disruptions for special events relating to COVID-19 if you’re travelling within Australia or New Zealand. To find out what we do – and don’t – cover under these sections, check out our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

Our COVID-19 Overseas Medical Expenses Cover*~#

We understand many Australian travellers are concerned about the financial impact of catching coronavirus while they’re outside Australia.

To help ease your worries and help keep you travelling when – and where – it’s safe to do so, as the government starts to lift travel restrictions our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits can provide cover for your COVID-19-related overseas medical costs*.

This cover applies if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner during your journey and includes cover for costs resulting from any medical treatment and ambulance transportation you require when suffering from COVID-19.

We cannot pay for any medical costs resulting from COVID-19 if your claim is related to you having travelled on a multi-night cruise or if you’re travelling to a country that is subject to “Do not travel” advice from smartraveller at the time you enter the country or part of the country.

Our COVID-19 Amendment or Cancellation Costs Cover*†

We always advise travellers consider buying their travel insurance policy as soon as they book their trip, and this advice remains true during the current coronavirus pandemic, too. When you purchase a domestic or international travel insurance policy with added cancellation cover early on, you immediately have cover provided for a number of amendment and cancellation costs*.

If you’re travelling within Australia or overseas on an international, inbound or domestic policy, we can provide cover for a number of COVID-19-related cancellation and amendment situations*. We hope this gives you extra confidence to book an upcoming trip knowing COVID-19 cancellation cover is included in your travel insurance policy.

COVID-19 cover is provided if you:

• are diagnosed by a qualified medical practitioner with COVID-19 prior to your departure and can no longer travel
• are an essential healthcare worker and your leave is revoked as a result of COVID-19
• need to amend or cancel your trip because a non-travelling relative or business partner who resides in Australia or New Zealand is diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner and the level of infection is life-threatening

COVID-19 cover is provided if the person you’re due to stay with in Australia or New Zealand is:

• diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner or directed by a local public health authority into a period of quarantine and you can no longer stay with them

In either case, we cover up to $150 per night for you to stay somewhere else.

COVID-19 cover is provided if your prepaid costs in Australia or New Zealand are affected, such as:

• the accommodation you planned to stay at is shutdown or closed because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the premises and hygiene measures are required
• the destination activity venue (such as a ski venue, theme park or cooking school) is closed because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the premises

For full details on our travel insurance that covers coronavirus cancellation and amendment costs, see our PDS or visit our COVID-19 travel insurance FAQs page.

Our COVID-19 Additional Expenses Cover †#

It doesn’t matter how much time and effort you put into planning your trip, the unexpected can always happen when you’re away from home. This was true prior to the current coronavirus pandemic and it’s still true for travellers who continue to explore in a world where COVID-19 exists.

To help you navigate a number of unexpected costs that may arise from COVID-19, our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits could help protect you from a number of scenarios that may result in unexpected costs.

If you’re an international or domestic travel insurance policyholder, we can provide cover for additional expenses incurred if:

• you are diagnosed with COVID-19 during your trip and you are directed by a local public health authority into a period of quarantine or isolation^
• you pass away on your trip and the cause of death is COVID-19^

^The two points above are subject to there being no “Do not travel” advice from smartraveller at the time you enter the country or part of the country. There is no cover if any part of your trip included travel on a multi-night cruise.

• your non-travelling relative or business partner residing in Australia or New Zealand is diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner and the treating doctor confirms the level of infection is life-threatening and you need to return home
• you can no longer stay with the person you planned to stay with in Australia or New Zealand because they are diagnosed with COVID-19 and directed to enter a period of quarantine
• your pre-paid accommodation in Australia or New Zealand is shutdown or closes as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak on its premises and hygiene measures are required

For full details on the additional expenses we cover with our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits, please read our PDS and check out our COVID-19 FAQs page.

Our COVID-19 Destination Scenarios

Our COVID-19 Travel Insurance Benefit Exclusions

Unfortunately, our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits can’t cover absolutely every scenario that may occur as a result of the global pandemic. We encourage you to read the PDS and check out our COVID-19 FAQs page before you consider purchasing our travel insurance to ensure it’s adequate for you and your trip.

We will not pay for any claims arising from or caused by COVID-19 if:

• you incur costs or expenses as a result of a government or public health authority mandatory quarantine or isolation order being imposed on you in relation to cross area, border, region or territory travel.

• the government bans travel before or during travel such as: “Do Not Travel” travel warnings; government directed border closures; or mandatory quarantine or self-isolation requirements related to cross area, border, region or territory travel.

• your claim is caused by the threat – or perceived threat – of COVID-19

Please note: some of our coronavirus travel insurance benefits only apply if you are travelling within Australia and New Zealand.

Ready to Buy Travel Insurance that Provides Some Cover for COVID-19?

If you’re itching to get travelling again but want to ensure your trip is protected against a number of COVID-19 scenarios during the current coronavirus pandemic, our international, inbound and domestic plans can help.

You can get a FREE quote and purchase online today for instant cover or call 1300 72 88 22 to purchase our travel insurance with COVID-19 benefits over the phone.

Or, if you’ve got questions you’d like answered, see our COVID-19 FAQs page or call our friendly team on 1300 72 88 22.

Otherwise, stay safe, and keep travelling.

This is general advice only.
*Limits, sub-limits, conditions, and exclusions apply. For full details on exactly what’s covered by our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits, please read our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) document.
~Medical cover will not exceed 12 months from onset.
#Cover for additional and medical costs related to COVID-19 are not available on our Domestic Cancellation Plan.
†Cover for additional, amendment and cancellation costs related to COVID-19 are not available on our International Medical Only Plan or our Inbound Plan.